Keeping Pace

Laurie Morrisons Keeping Pace is a poignant middle-grade novel about friends-turned-rivals training for a half-marathonand rethinking what it means to win and what they mean to each other. Grace has been working for years to beat her former friend Jonah Perkinss GPA so she can be named top scholar of the eighth grade. But when Jonah beats her for the title, it feels like none of Graces academic accomplishments have really mattered. They werent enough to winor to impress her dad. And then the wide, empty summer looms. With nothing planned and no more goals or checklists, she doesnt know what shes supposed to be working toward. Eager for something to occupy her days, Grace signs up for a half-marathon race that she and Jonah used to talk about running together. Jonahs running it, too. Maybe if she can beat Jonah on race day, shell feel OK again. But as she begins training with Jonah and checking off a new list of summer goals, she starts to question whatand whoreally matters to her. Is winning at all costs really worth it? Engaging and heartfelt, Keeping Pace is about wanting to win at all costsand having to learn how to fail.